A shaft which carried the diverter sheave wheel of an electric goods lift failed, resulting in the cage failing to the bottom of the well. Failure had taken place at a reduction in diam at which no filet radius existed. Metallurgical examination did not disclose any abnormal features. The material was a mild steel in the normalized condition. The appearance of the fracture indicated failure was due to bending stresses. The absence of any fillet radius at the reduction in diam provided a region of stress concentration from which fatigue cracks developed.